A decade after the release of ‘The Martian’ and a decade out from the world it envisions, a planetary scientist checks in on real-life Mars exploration
NASA hasn’t landed humans on Mars yet. But thanks to robotic missions, scientists now know more about the planet’s surface than they did when the movie was released.
Ari Koeppel, Postdoctoral Scientist in Earth and Planetary Science, Dartmouth College •
conversation
May 22, 2025 • ~9 min
May 22, 2025 • ~9 min
Do photons wear out? An astrophysicist explains light’s ability to travel vast cosmic distances without losing energy
The speed of light is the fastest anything can travel. What happens to a photon from a galaxy 25 million light years away on its journey toward Earth?
Jarred Roberts, Project Scientist, University of California, San Diego •
conversation
May 20, 2025 • ~6 min
May 20, 2025 • ~6 min
Space tourism’s growth blurs the line between scientific and symbolic achievement – a tourism scholar explains how
Space tourism is in an exploration phase – the decisions companies make around how to conduct these experiences now will set the tone moving forward.
Betsy Pudliner, Associate Professor of Hospitality and Technology Innovation, University of Wisconsin-Stout •
conversation
May 19, 2025 • ~10 min
May 19, 2025 • ~10 min
Landing on the Moon is an incredibly difficult feat − 2025 has brought successes and shortfalls for companies and space agencies
NASA’s learned a lot about the Moon since Apollo. But a perfect landing still requires incredible planning and scientific precision.
Zhenbo Wang, Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Tennessee •
conversation
May 16, 2025 • ~10 min
May 16, 2025 • ~10 min
There’s growing evidence of possible life on other planets – here’s why you should still be sceptical
The recent detection of a gas in a distant plant has been linked to life forms has sparked debate among scientists.
Maria Di Paolo, PhD Candidate, School of Engineering, Mathematics and Physics, University of East Anglia •
conversation
May 15, 2025 • ~8 min
May 15, 2025 • ~8 min
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